Apparatus for washing stack gases



Oct. 23, 1945.

W. A. PEARL APPARATUS FOR WASHING STACK GASES Filed May 14, 1942 ing gases, and more particularly to the Patented Oct. 23, 1945 2,387,345 APPARATUS FOR WASHING STACK GASES William A. Pearl,

Chicago, Ill., assignor to Whiting Corporation, Harvey, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application May 14, 1942, Serial No. 442,903

4 Claims.

for washtype used in connection with the stacks of cupolas and other furnaces to prevent` objectionable carbon, cinders, ily-ash and other particles and odors in the gases produced in the furnace from escaping to the atmosphere around the stack.

v One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is adapted to be mounted on the upper end of a stack and which is adapted for eigcently washing the gases passing through the s c Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this type which ter cooled to prevent the destruction ofthe parts by gases which contact therewith.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description.

The linvention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the con- The invention relates to apparatus clusion hereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of `apparatus embodying the invention and the stack to which it is applied.

Fig. 2 is` a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig, 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2- illustrating the jets for cooling the cylindrical wall which extends above the stack.

Fig. `4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating the connection for construction supporting the conical baille.

The invention is exemplied as applied to the stack a of a cupola or melting furnace. The improved apparatus comprises a cylindrical shell I0 which is of uniform diameter from top to bottom and ot greater diameter than the stack and forms an enlarged extension through which the gases pass from the stack. The lower portion of shell III extendsaround and below the upper end of the stack Vto provide an annular chamber or trough 9 around the stack for receiving the water used to wash the gases and the material separated from the gases. The lower end of shell I0 has secured thereto angular lugs which are top portion of a 'supported by right-angled and braced brackets I2 which are suitably secured to the metal lining al of the stack. The shell IIJ is also supported by an inner cylindrical sleeve I5, the outer end of which has welded thereto an angle iron reinforcing ring which overlaps the upper end of the stack. An inclined elliptical annular plate I3 forms the bottom of the trough 9 and has its outer edge secured to the shell I0 and its inner is eillciently waedge to the sleeve I5. The plate I3 is ilat and inclined from one side of the shell I0 to the other side so that the water used for washing the gases cumulation thereof in the trough 9. This exemplifles washing apparatus which comprises a shell of greater diameter than the stack and of uniform diameter from top to bottom with an annular trough having abottom which is inclined from one side of the shell to the other.

The gases issuing from the upper end of the stack are deflected outwardly toward the cylindrical shell I0 by a conical baille I1 which is concentric with the stack and is supported from above and in spaced relation from the stack. The diameter of the conical deflector I'I is somewhat greater than the diameter in the opening in the stack so that the gases issuing from the stack will be deflected outwardly and toward the shell III by said deilector. The gases deiected by the deflector I'I pass into the portion of the chamber 8 in the shell I0 above the baille. By forming the shell I0 of substantially uniform diameter from top -to bottom and of greater diameter than the stack, the area of chamber 8 is sufilcient to produce a reduction of velocity of the gases in said chamber to cause turbulence for separating the ash, metal and solid particles from the gases while they are being washed, ,as hereinafter described. The conical deector I1 is supported from a shell III by a series of hangers I8 which are suspended from hooks I9 which are welded to the shell II). Each hanger is preferably formed of upper and lower sections. which are adjustably connected by bolts 20 and holes 2|, so that the conical deector n win be mstalled in the desired spaced relation from the upper end of the stack. The upper section of each hanger I8 is provided with an opening through which one of the hooks I 9 passes and the lower section is connected to a lug 22 which is Welded to the upper face of deector I1. The deector is also supported by underlying bars 23 which have their outer ends bolted to the shell I 0.

A .pipe 24 for supplying water under pressure, extends upwardly through the inclined bottom Wall I3 to an elbow 25 and has a. horizontally extending section 26 which is connected to an elbow 21 to discharge the water through a downwardly extending pipe-section 28 onto the apex flow uniformly over the entire area of the upper face of the conical deilector i1 and be discharged downwardly and outwardly from the outer edge of the baille to the shell i0. The water delivered to deilector l1 is suiiicient to'form a downwardly spreading curtain across the annular space between the outer edge of the deilector I1 and the shell l through which the gases from the stack pass. Pipe-section 28 ext'ends through a saddle 29 which is ilxedly secured to the top of the deflector so that the water will be uniformly discharged onto the apex of the deflector I1. The water cools the deflector i1 to prevent it from being burnt out. The water also provides a downwardly spreading curtain through which will pass thegases from the stack which are deflected by the defiector, and by which the gases are initially cooled and washed.

An annular header 3| is disposed above the deflector and at the top of chamber 8 and is connected to receive water under pressure from a supply-pipe 30. The header is provided with a series of nozzles 3la for discharging an annular series of jets of water onto the inner face of the shell i0. These nozzles are'directed downwardly and toward the shell lil to spread the jets to produce a film of water owing downwardly over substantially the entire inner .periphery of shell lll. The gases spread by the deilector l1 will impinge against the downwardly flowing film of water on the shell ill so that the gases will be again washed after they pass through the curtain of water from the deflector l'l. This exemplifies means for owing water over the inside of the straight cylindrical shell i0 for a suiilcient distance to effect a second washing of the gases.

An upwardly and outwardly flared annular baille 33 in the shape of an inverted frustum of.

a cone is supported in the shell above the header 3l, by an angle iron ring 32, which is welded to the shell i0. Outstruck tongues 34 on the baille 33 are secured by bolts 35 to the ring 32. The baille 33 extends inwardly from shell I0 to deflect the gases inwardly toward the center of the shell and through the central opening 36 in the baille. The reduction of velocity of the gases while in chamber 8 and their inward deflection by baille 33 produces a turbulence which aids in the separation of the cinders, ash and water vapor from the gases which escape through opening 36 in thev baille. The baille also functions to separate the water or vapor from the gases before they pass through the opening 36. This provision prevents likelihood of injury or damage by the escape of vapor or water with the gases to property which may be stored 'near or around the stack. The shell i0 extends above the baille 33 to form a chamber 8a through which the washed gases pass before finally escaping through its top to atmosphere.

The apparatus described exemplifies one which comprises a cylindrical shell of substantially uniform diameter supported around the upper end of the stack with an annular trough or chamber with an inclined bottom around the upper end of the stack; a conical deilector for directing the gases through a downward curtain of water and so they will impinge against the shell over which a illm of water is flowing, while the gases are passed through a chamber of great area above the defiector, 'and a baille for producing a turbulence in said chamber and for separating the water or vapor from the gases before they pass into a continuation of the chamber above the baille before their ilnal escape. The turbulence in the chamber below the baille also causes the fly-ash and heavier particles of material to be quickly separated from the gases so they will be deposited into the annular trough around the upper end of the stack. 'I'he bars 38 are secured inside and outside of the shell I0 to form a ladder for access to the washing apparatus in the shell. An overflow pipe 39 is connected to carry oil.' water and materials Washed from the gases in the event of an excess flow of water or accumulation of material washed from the gases.

The operationof the apparatus will be as follows: Assuming the water under pressure is being discharged through pipe-section 28 on the top of the cone, it will be uniformly ilowed over the top face of the deilector I1 and will be discharged downwardly and spread across the annular space between the outer edge of the deilector I1 and the shell lil. The cone l1 will deflect the gases from the stack outwardly' to pass through the curtain of water from the. deflector il by which they will be initially washed and so they will impinge against the shell l0. The area of the annular space between the deflector il and the shell lil being somewhat greater than the area. of the shaft of the stack, the Velocity of the gases above the deflector will be somewhat reduced which will result in turbulence in the chamber 8. The gases will travel upwardly along the shell i6 in chamber 8 and contact with the film of water from the nozzles 3| until they are deflected inwardly by the baille 33. This bailling of the gases will cause separation of the water and the solid materials in the gases so that they will be arrested and fall downwardly into the annular trough on the bottorn i3 of the shell, while the washed gases will be deflected around the inner edge of baille 33 and pass through opening 36 and escape through the chamber 81 in the upper end of the shell The invention exemplifies apparatus for washing stack gases which efilciently separates fly-ash. carbon, cinders, odors and the water used in washing, from the gases before they are discharged into the atmosphere above the stack. The water flowed along shell I0 and over deflector I1 also serves to cool them to prevent them from being burnt out. The apparatus is simple in construction and lends itself to installation on theupper end of stacks without change in the stack structure. y

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I regard as new and desire to claim .by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for cleaning combustion gases from a stack comprising a substantially straight cylindrical shell of diameter greater than the stack, having its upper end extending above and its lower end extending below the stack, an annular trough in the shell and around the stack and having an inclined bottom, means for supporting the shell from thev stack, a conical deilector in the shell vertically spaced from the top of the stack, terminating inwardly from the shell to form an annular passage for the gases, means for delivering water under pressure to flow outwardly over the defiector and downwardly and across the gases passing through said anassaut nular passage, an annular header above the deiiector provided with a series o! nozzles arranged to discharge Jets or water downwardly and outwardly against, and to spread it into a curtain on the inner periphery oi', the shell, means for supplying water to the header, ay bame above the header, and an outlet pipe for the water and g material deposited in the trough said outlet pipe belng'connected to the shell at the lower side of the inclined plate so that solid material will be carried oi'by th'ewater flowing over the plate.

2. Apparatus for cleaning combustion gases from a stack comprising a substantially straight cylindrical shell of diameter greater than the stack, having its upper end extending above and its lower end extending below the stack, an annular trough in the shell and around the stack` and having an inclined bottom,l means for suppassage, an annular header above the deilector provided with a series of nozzles arranged to discharge lets oi' water downwardly and outwardly against, and to spread it into a curtain on the inner periphery of, the shell, means for supplying water to the header, an upwardly divergent annular baille in the shell and above' the header, and an outlet pipe for the water and material deposited in the trough.

3. Apparatus for cleaning combustion gases from a stack comprising a substantially straight cylindrical shell 'oi diameter greater than the stack, having its upper end extending above and its lower end extending below the stack, an annular trough in the shell and around the stack and having an inclined bottom, means for supporting the shell from the stack. a conical de-l ector in the shell vertically spaced from the top of the stack, terminating inwardly from the shell to form an .annular passage for the gases, means for' delivering water under pressure to flow outwardly over the deflector and downwardly and across the gases passing through said annular passage, an annular header above the delector provided with a series of nozzles arranged to discharge jets of water downwardly and outwardly against, and to spread it into a curtain on the inner periphery of, the shell, means for supplying water to the header, an annular baille in the shell and above the header, and an outlet pipe :for the water and material deposited in the trough, the shell extending upwardly to form a l substantially straight chamber above the baille.

`porting, the shell from the stack, a conical de- 4. Apparatus for cleaning combustion gases from a stack comprising a substantially straight cylindrical shell of substantially uniform diameter'greater than the stack, having its upper end extending above and its lower end extending below the stack. an annular trough in the shell and around the stank and having an inclined lbottom, means for supporting the shell from the stack, a conical deilector in the shell vertically spaced from the top of the stack, terminating inwardly from lthe shell to form an annular passage for the gases, means for delivering water under pressure to flow outwardly over the deflector and downwardly and across the gases passing through said annular passage, an annular header above -the deector provided with a series of nozzles arranged todischarge jets of water downwardly and outwardly against, and to spread it into a curtain on the inner periphery of, the shell, means for supplying water to the header, an upwardly divergent annular baille in the shell and above the header, and an outlet pipe for the water and material deposited in the trough, the shell extending above the baille to from a substantially straight chamber above the baffle.

- WILLIAM A. PEARL. 

